1. Technical Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a female terminal fitting having a terminal connecting portion which is formed by arranging for a plurality of terminal holding plates to be stacked on one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 9 shows a female terminal fitting disclosed in PTL 1 below.
The female terminal fitting 100 includes a terminal connecting portion 110 in which a plate-shaped mating terminal fitting is fitted for connection and an electric wire connecting portion 120 which is provided continuously at a proximal end of the terminal connecting portion 110.
The terminal connecting portion 110 is formed by stacking a plurality of terminal holding plates 111 which are formed of metallic plates in a thickness direction of the terminal connecting portion 110. The plurality of terminal holding plates 111 are terminal plates which are formed independently of one another. In each terminal holding plate 111, a pair of arm plates 113, 114 which extend substantially parallel from a proximal plate portion 112 forma terminal holding groove 115 into which the plate-shaped mating terminal fitting can be inserted.
Contact portions 113a, 114a are provided on inner side surfaces of the pair of arm plates 113, 114 of each terminal holding plate 111 at a distal end side thereof so as to project therefrom for press contact with the plate-shaped mating terminal inserted into the groove.
The terminal connecting portion 110 which is formed by stacking the plurality of terminal holding plates 111 on one another establishes an electrical connection with the mating terminal fitting by holding the plate-shaped mating terminal fitting which is inserted into the terminal holding groove 115 by the contact portions 113a, 114a which are provided on each of the terminal holding plates 111.
The plurality of terminal holding plates 111 which are stacked on one another are fix in such a stacked state by fastening the proximal plate portions 112 which are stacked on one another with a screw member 130. The screw member 130 is a screw member which is screwed into a holding plate fixing portion 121 of the electric wire connecting portion 120 and also functions as a connecting device which connects a proximal end of the terminal connecting portion 110 to the electric wire connecting portion 120.
The electric wire connecting portion 120 in PTL 1 includes the holding plate fixing portion 121 to which the terminal connecting portion 110 is fastened with the screw member, a male screw member 122 which extends from the holding plate fixing portion 121, and a fastening nut 123 which is screwed on to the male screw member 122.
For example, a screw fastening crimping terminal which is crimped to an end of an electric wire is passed on the male screw member 122. The fastening nut 123 holds the screw fastening crimping terminal which is passed on to the male screw member 122 between the holding plate fixing portion 121 and itself to conductively connect the electric wire to the electric wire connecting portion 120.
The terminal connecting portion 110 of the female terminal fitting 100 can realize a multi-contact connection which is advantageous in improving the contact reliability by the multiplicity of contact portions 113a, 114a contacting the mating terminal fitting.
PTL 1 is JP-A-2005-294220.